CARE team changes at a Teesside council have left a Stockton gran fuming.

Sonia Pearson, 65, from Mallaig View, has had the same team of people coming in to look after her for 10 years.

Earlier this month Stockton Council changed the company providing some of its home care services - and the move has left diabetic Mrs Pearson with missed visits and late appointments.

Home carers visit her four times a day to help with meals and managing lymphoedema - a condition which causes swelling in her legs.

They also check to make sure she’s taken her medication including a teatime dose of insulin.

“I have carers who come in to see me four times a day.

“I can hardly walk, I have lymphoedema in both legs and they help with massages and at meal times.

“The first time they were due to visit, they didn’t turn up,” said Mrs Pearson.

A lunchtime call due for 12.30 on October 15 arrived more than an hour late, she said. On the 16th, they cut her appointment time in half and on the 17th they were more than an hour late.

“I’ve had the same team of carers for 10 years and everything was going along nicely. It’s really left me depressed,” she added.

Around 900 people are supported by the council’s home care service, provided by a company called Direct Health.

Changes came into effect from October 1.

“Direct Health, who have been a provider of home care in Stockton for the past five years, were successful in the recent tender and were awarded areas of Stockton to provide home care services,” said a Stockton Council spokeswoman.

“Since they took over the new contract at the beginning of October, Direct Health have faced transitional issues in ensuring calls are covered in these new areas.

"Stockton Council is working with Direct Health to ensure that the home care staff attend to people at the correct time.”

A spokeswoman for Direct Health said: “We cannot comment on individual cases but we are fully aware of the issues and are working closely with the council to resolve them.”